The Department of Homeland Security has been forced to release a list of keywords and phrases it uses to monitor social networking sites and online media for signs of terrorist or other threats against the U.S.

The intriguing the list includes obvious choices such as ‘attack’, ‘Al Qaeda’, ‘terrorism’ and ‘dirty bomb’ alongside dozens of seemingly innocent words like ‘pork’, ‘cloud’, ‘team’ and ‘Mexico’.

Released under a freedom of information request, the information sheds new light on how government analysts are instructed to patrol the internet searching for domestic and external threats.

The words are included in the department’s 2011 ‘Analyst’s Desktop Binder‘ used by workers at their National Operations Center which instructs workers to identify ‘media reports that reflect adversely on DHS and response activities’.

Really, folks, I promise you — Janet Napolitano did not come up with this sort of list — or even the impetus for it, by herself. She’ll be a fine President of the UC system, I’m sure. Just, uh, watch your language around her. (This article came out on May 26, of this year, by the way. Seems like years ago by now, doesn’t it?)

Meanwhile, just to go out with our head held high (and since we’ve already used the words), here’s a picture of a pork taco cloud.

I know that each of us sees cloud in a different way, as out brains impose meaning on ambiguous stimuli, but I’m telling you: to me, that cloud REALLY looks like a couple of pork tacos!

This is your Weekend Open Thread — and it’s also what happens when I didn’t get around to writing a Weekend Open Thread and have to pull something quickly from the (virtual) file drawer. Talk about this — ideally the original article at the link — or anything else you’d like, within broad bounds of decorum and discretion. The weekly OC Register Dearthwatch will be pasted just below this as soon as its completed.

About Greg Diamond

Somewhat verbose worker's rights and government accountability attorney, residing in northwest Brea. General Counsel of CATER, the Coalition of Anaheim Taxpayers for Economic Responsibility, a non-partisan group of people sick of local corruption.
Deposed as Northern Vice Chair of DPOC in April 2014 when his anti-corruption and pro-consumer work in Anaheim infuriated the Building Trades and Teamsters in spring 2014, who then worked with the lawless and power-mad DPOC Chair to eliminate his internal oversight.
Occasionally runs for office to challenge some nasty incumbent who would otherwise run unopposed. (Someday he might pick a fight with the intent to win rather than just dent someone. You'll know it when you see it.) He got 45% of the vote against Bob Huff for State Senate in 2012 and in 2014 became the first attorney to challenge OCDA Tony Rackauckas since 2002.
None of his pre-putsch writings ever spoke for the Democratic Party at the local, county, state, national, or galactic level, nor do they now.
A family member co-owns a business offering campaign treasurer services to Democratic candidates and the odd independent. He is very proud of her. He doesn't directly profit from her work and it doesn't affect his coverage. (He does not always favor her clients, though she might hesitate to take one that he truly hated.)
He does advise some local campaigns informally and (so far) without compensation. (If that last bit changes, he will declare the interest.)

“Chile’s president praised an 11-year-old girl on Tuesday for her “depth and maturity” after she said in a recent TV interview that she wants to give birth to the baby who was conceived when she was raped by her mother’s partner.”

“For June, the U.S. Treasury Department reported a $117 billion surplus on Thursday, thanks to a continued uptick in revenue and a decline in spending.

Another big boon to June’s bottom line was a one-time $59 billion payment from Fannie Mae (FNMA, Fortune 500), according to the Congressional Budget Office. The government bailed out Fannie during the housing crisis.
June marks the fifth month since October 2011 that the government has recorded a monthly surplus.” (CNN Money)

How in the world are we supposed to survive 3 more years of Obamma? This anti-American socialist, Muslim, Chicago-style gangster has to be impeached.

all of this is very scary but this is the scariest, and really does show how government has run amok…if you are flying across county and some idiot in the back of the plane (coach and/or steerage). claims to have an allergy to peanut based products, the airline cannot serve peanuts to the rest of the passengers

At about 10 p.m. Friday night, pro-life activist Abby Johnson posted this on her Facebook page:

Prolifers! Please get out of the Capitol…or find a safe place to go away from the proaborts. DPS is encouraging all prolifers to leave. Please be safe and get out now.

Shortly before midnight, blogger Adam Cahnman also confirmed that law enforcement is asking pro-life activists to leave or stay away from the capitol.

Cahnman’s Musings is currently holed up in an undisclosed location at the Texas Capitol. We are not in danger in any way shape or form. The Department of Public Safety has asked pro-lifers to stay away from the mob.

Other pro-life activists tweeted that they were being told to either hide out in offices or to get away from the capitol. There have been unconfirmed reports that a pro-abortion activist had been caught with a gun in or near the building. Whatever the cause, Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX36) confirmed that police are telling pro-life activists to leave the capitol for their own safety.

*This was the reason the so-called Korean Airline is suing the NTSB? Captain Sum Ting Wong and his Co-Captain Way Tu Lo and the Third Officer Bang Bonk Ow and of course the Navigator Ho Lee – – – -!

The three girls that died in the crash probably don’t care what the SF News Team is calling this folks. Either are the many that will paralyzed and maimed
for life for their lack of objective pilot skills. “It was the laser light in my eye…
It was the airplane….it was the time of day…..I am over worked …….I was
tired… I need a vacation!

Pilots make the most money of anyone that works for an airline. Their responsiblities are commensurate with their pay – as they should be. There are many issues that include others in the responsible behavior of the airplane. Air Controllers, Maintenance Folks, Emergency Training Staff, Flight Attendants, Airline Management, Airline Executives. When Pilots screw up, the Chief of Pilots gets pulled onto the carpet. All of the above groups want to know: “Why did this or these pilots screw the pooch?” This pilot crew should never fly another hour or minute on a Commercial Jet. The loss of life is terribly unforgiving. Sad, but true. Allowing anything less than zero tolerance in Flight Crews ….is totally unacceptable. “Gramma needs to get home to Des Moines on Thanksgiving…ya know!” And, in one piece! Sorry, Way Tu Lo…you are fired!

‘Ships, I presume that you know that those names of the pilots were made up. You also know that they’re highly ethnocentric (I won’t say “racist,” but I wouldn’t argue with anyone who did) and really don’t have a place in polite conversation about the crash — right?

Not that it’s really relevant, but airline pilots are typically paid about the same as a Taco Bell manager. (Thanks, deregulation and union-busting!) I suppose an argument could be made that the number of people each could kill by screwing up is comparable, but I’m having trouble thinking the minute-to-minute awareness required is in the same league. A good many airline pilots are not much above the poverty line.

*Two things…first off …..International Pilots are very well paid. Regional pilots not so as you stated. The longer you are with an airline the more money you make. The bigger the pension and retirement programs. This goes for ALL International Carriers. 2ndly, the names assigned by the SF news station resulted in the firing of an intern. Now, we can simply pretend that the genie never got out of the bottle……or we should acknowledge that the so-called ethno slurs were intended and aimed at the flying abilities of the pilots – rather than there ethnic backgrounds. There was no such worry or concern when French pilots were similarly castigated on the crash of the Concords. This is not ethnic …..these are flying capabilities. Pilot humor goes back since its inception. If you are not a pilot or related to the flying profession….lots of things come to mind that are incorrect. We must add additionally, that we have never been so impressed with anyone – than NTSB Chairperson Deborah Hersman. She is Aces….all the way. The old timers are twisting in the wind…because she is so forthcoming. Too bad she wasn’t around when TWA 800 went down. Another great person to consider is Captain Sully
Sullenberger. We have some truly wonderful people associated with the airline industry. Another not so loveable event was the crash of the Polish Prime Minister in Russia…..on that very terrible airline and with a brutal safety record. Being forthcoming and calling it as we see it….is important for the flying public. Hiding away, bad conduct, bad mechanical events, bad manufacturing (as in the case of the batteries on the 787) is totally counter-productive. We are still upset with the Chinese Company that failed to heat treat the Elevator pins of the Alaskan Airliner 727 that went down in the Channel Islands. Ethno slurs – No sir….stupids and we are naming them – just that!

An uplifting follow up on the courageous Pakistani girl, Malala Yousafzai, who was almost killed by the Taliban for advocating for girl’s right to education. She spoke at the United Nations on her 16th birthday.